The Sin Reality

regardless of the silence
bestowing a cloak of
invisibility to its existence we
absolve ourselves of any guilt  by
pragmatic subjectivity -
decrees of justification - by
self-righteous formulations
untethered from nature's law
whose logic is suppressed by
secularism's reliance on
transitory feelings bestowing a
crown of unbridled relativism
on morality thus ensuring
sin's disappearance -
even from the pulpit - which
obfuscates Calvary making the
Cross irrelevant...
Resurrection superfluous...
Christian Morality into
caricatures of religiosity
but look around...
death terrifies 
disease overwhelms
selfishness reigns
pride is idolized
murder justified
lust idealized 
envy trivialized
tepidity normalized
resentment rationalized
greed exceeded
debauchery exalted
anger validated
forgiveness resented
reality equivocated
enslaving  humanity into a
hopeless depravity wrapped in
fantasies of a guaranteed utopia by
intelligentsia's progressive decrees
dictating compliance since
they know better than you
beware
perfection of this world is
an illusion
fixing ourselves is
beyond our capabilities
only a transformation of
our nature can
conquer Eden's curse
only at an infinite cost can
infinite debts be pardoned
someone must pay the price for
our redemption from
sin and evil's domination or
it doesn't happen
Someone did-
the Savior Jesus Christ
Offering His Precious Blood for our
forgiveness
freedom
power
unequivocal Love-
exchanging His Life for ours
conquering sin and death
raising humanity into
sharing His Divinity
Born again into a
New Creation-
an Event and Process-
waiting for our
yes or no...hint...
yes is better

Reflection/Discussion:
-Is sin talked about in your parish/church? Why/not?
-What does "perfection of this world is an illusion" mean?
-What are some of the manifestations of sin in today's culture?
-What is relativism? Why is it an incorrect/inadequate philosophy?
-What does it mean to be "born again"?
-How is being "born again" an event as well as a process?
-How much is the Sacrament of Reconciliation part of your life? Why? 
-How does your sin limit your growth in holiness?
  

The Encounter

yearning for more
than meets the eye
a vague uneasiness
filled my emptiness
within and without
the insufficiency of
temporal everything 
despite striving to
vacuum fulfillment
into my ego
I realized that
nothing finite could fill
infinite desires
nothing temporary could satisfy
eternal longings
except
Infinite and Eternal Love
finally admitting a
conviction of my life's
self-centeredness
a sorrow for sin
led to a turning away from
wrongdoing's false glamour
then a turning toward
reconciliation by
finding forgiveness
from a Savior
whose Identity is not ethereal
but rather Incarnate
the Person who initiates
an unspeakable offer
a transfer from slavery
to freedom-
death to life- but
only by my free choice
a Decision to follow Him as
my personal Lord and Savior
thus beginning a
Nuptial Journey
He is known
first by Word
then by heart
as the One who
died for me
but now is Alive
no longer just an idea
but now Real
through a
Passionate Encounter...

Ask and you shall Receive

Reflection/Discussion:

-How do your desires point to the Infinite?
-What does "Passionate Encounter" mean?
-What are the elements necessary to encounter Jesus?
-What prevents you from encountering Jesus or
  growing in your relationship with Him?
-What is the relationship between faith and feelings?
-What does " a nuptial journey" mean?

Table of Contents

New Evangelization 

 

The Lord is always reaching out to us, whether we know Him or not. If you do not know Him yet, seek Him with all your heart. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you; be persistent. He seeks you more than you seek Him. Put yourself in a position of seeking and when He knocks on the door of your heart, open wide. 

 If we have chosen to be His disciple, He calls us to reach out to those in our spheres of influence to bring His Word of Love. “To know Him and to make Him known; to love Him and to make Him loved” is our challenge. How that happens, to whom we reach out, what we say doesn’t have to be perfect, or a huge event. Love is sometimes best when it is small and personal. Use these reflections in your outreach for they are meant to help "open minds and hearts" and, ultimately, to "find" or, better, to "be found"!

The Approval: Where do we look for approval -from God or from others?
The Assumption: A common assumption that is not true.
The Benchmark: Evaluating our lives on our deathbed.
The Call: He calls each by name to Himself.
The Chance: Take a chance to see if it's all True.

The Claim: There are only three possibilities regarding the identity of Jesus.

The Crux:  Jesus tells us that we become who / what we worship.

The Demonic Mantra: Their rallying cry to capture humans. 

The Demonic Sliding Scale Strategy: Where do you fit in? .

The Desperate: Those seeking Affirmation in the wrong places and paying the price. 

The Disciple: Who is a true disciple of Jesus?

The Downsizing: It's coming...you need to be ready. 
The Encounter: How to have a personal relationship with Jesus.

The Enemy Within: A broken humanity's orientation. 

The Everyman: What does it take to Believe?
The Gazes: He's coming for you...He knows who you are.

The Golden Door: It is our decision to open or not.

The Golden Throne: Who sits on the Golden Throne in your kingdom?
The Gospel: The simplicity of the Gospel in a confused world.
The Great Awakening: In a crisis, Awake and Hear the Lord's Word to you.

The Human Condition: It's not pretty, but there is an answer. 

The Intentional Disciple: The next step.
The Identity: Who are you.....really?
The Invitation: Jesus personally invites us into a relationship with Him.

The Journey: Searching for meaning in an empty world

The Kiss: The Gift of Salvation  needs to be accepted by each person.

The 4 Last Things Series: 
                                        Death: It's gonna happen to you.
                                        Judgement: You will be judged.
                                        Heaven: It's either this or... 

                                        Hell:...this.

The Metanoia Mindset: Change the way you think in order to hear the Good News.

The Obvious Question: Without faith, it doesn't look pretty. 

The Other Proverbs: Pithy pearls of practical wisdom. 

The Paradigm: An Examination and Call.
The Prodigals: He is patiently waiting for a homecoming.

The Quest: Only the Infinite can fulfill all our desires.
The Real Pandemic: You won't hear about this in the media. 

The Resting Place: When searching turns to finding.

The Revival Focus: Conversion is needed before Catechesis can take hold

The Seeker: He longs to be one with us.

The Selection: You get to decide your ultimate destination.
The Sin Reality: Despite the silence, sin is a reality.

The Spiritual War: Are you winning or losing?

The Tell: Like a "tell" in poker, embedded in our nature is a “tell” of the Infinite.

The Tragedy: Eternity without God is the real tragedy.

The Two Ways: One leads to  Life, the other to death.

The Ultimate Q & A:  It's the most fundamental question and answer in life. 

The Warning: Heed the warning before it is too late.

The Whisper: Commit your way to the Lord and listen.

The Witness Calling: Jesus speaks about your calling to be His witness.

The Yearning: How will our yeaning for fulfillment end?

                                       

Spiritual Life

Our journey with the Lord is an adventure with peaks and valleys. He pursues and bids us to "come closer". Together, we grow in His Love, discovering His Wisdom in the communion of saints. Like the myriad angles of a diamond, the spiritual life is forever giving glimmers of the Infinite-ever deeper, ever richer. Read, reflect and pray over the reflections on the spiritual life. Your insight is valuable because it is yours to give; it is what you have grown to understand- what you have been shown. Discussing your take with others is a wonderful way to support one another in seeking the Lord. Remember, it might be just what another is needing to hear.

The Abandonment: The answer to the trials in your life. 

The Abba: Going deeper, more personal / intimate in our relationship with the Father.  

The Abiding: The Lord's heartfelt desire.

The Adoration: Jesus is speaking to you.

The As If: Living our faith as if it is true and real because it is.

The Awesome Presence: Experiencing the Lord’s Presence in our daily lives. 

The Bottom Line:  This is what all of life needs to be about.

The Chosen: You didn't just choose Him, no, He chose you.
The Circle: Life is a cyclic process of growth in holiness when we follow the Lord.

The Crux: Jesus tells us that we become who / what we worship by the decisions we make.

The Detachment: The Freedom journey of letting go the lesser in this life for the Greater.

The Dialogue: Understanding the Way.

The Dialogue Continues: Follow like a little child.  

The Discernment: Surrender is the way to discern God’s Will.

The Disciple: Who is a true disciple of Jesus?

The Final Word: It is the word that Jesus spoke to His Father in the Garden.

The First Mover: Grace comes first so be on the lookout for it.

The Glory: Behold the King!
The Gracious Gift: Unearned and just what we need. 
The Holy One: We are invited to live in His Presence.
The Hunter's Snare: Beware of this deceptive accusation.

The Imitation: Walking the Via Dolorosa with Jesus. 

The Jesus Prayers: Variations of the original
The Light: Jesus shines His Light upon the darkness in the Church.
The Lover: Going deeper is not what you assume it is.
The Magis : Follow the Lord with heroic leadership.

The Name: Respect and Revere His Holy Name.
The Narrative: Whose plan for your life are you following?

The Poison: Unforgiveness vs Forgiveness. 
The Purification: To share God's Nature in this life and the next, you need to be purified.

The Race: Life is a battle and a process of hard fought growth in holiness.

The Resident: Are you a Resident or a sometime Visitor in His Presence?

The Security: Where is the source of your security?

The Surprise: Jesus Loves being with you in the Eucharist..

The Theological Virtues:  

                                           Faith: What does true Faith look like in practice?

                                           Hope: A Grace to go beyond our circumstances. 

                                           Charity: His Grace is sufficient for us.

The Three Enemies Series:
                                              The World: The sin-ruled culture.

                                              The Flesh: Our wounded nature.
                                              The Devil: He is real and is coming for you.

The Transformation Prayer: By the Renewing of my mind.

The Tribulation: Persecution is here - our calling to be faithful witnesses.
The True Intimacy: What does it mean to live in true, intimate relationships?

The Tyranny: Feelings are our servants...not masters. 

The Unveiling: Behold, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
The Way: The only way to holiness.

Suffering

Almost nothing grabs our attention like suffering.  Whether the source is from without or within, it intersects almost every aspect of our lives. Sometimes it’s shocking, and sometimes it’s inevitable, the result of our own weakness / sin. It can turn our lives upside down and inside out. However it comes, it stretches us, many times beyond our strength. It causes us to question: why did God allow this?  Why hasn't He stopped it?  It tempts us to complain and feel sorry for ourselves and, sometimes, to give up and find escapes that lead down paths we later wish we had never trod. For sure, it slaps us in the face that we actually don't have control over our lives. We are not invincible.

Faith points the way to God but often times in circular paths. The Lord can bring good out of all things, even suffering. It can be exasperating and can seem like it will never end. It is part of our personal journey and part of the human condition. There are no simplistic answers. It is definitely a huge trial. Yet, we are not alone. The Lord is with us even when we do not experience Him. I encourage you to not waste your suffering. It is your great though reluctant opportunity to grow in the Lord and help bring about great things in the Kingdom of God.  See what that means by praying your way through these reflections..

The Accompaniment: Mother Mary is our example and help to accompany others. 

The Challenge: How to deal with the challenge of illness.
The Cross: Dealing with loss.

The Denudation: Trials strip us of our false securities and expose our weaknesses.

The Desert: Part of the journey is purification.

The Doubter: Dealing with the cross of scrupulosity.
The Dream: Dealing with divorce.

The Embrace: Acceptance of our cross in life.
The Healing: The gradual healing of orphan wounds.
The Hour: Persecution is here.

The Line in the Sand: Choose wisely and fearlessly.
The Offering: Joining our suffering with the Lord’s for union and intercession

The Regrets Dialogue: Healing from the ravages of regret.

The Seeing: How the Lord sees our suffering vs how we look at it.

The Storm: Within and Without

The Suffering Fellowship: Jesus redeems our suffering.
The Time-Out: Illness is a "time-out" allowed by the Lord to evaluate your life.

The Tempest: Seeking the Lord in the midst of sometimes chaotic suffering.

The Template: There's better way to deal with trials.

The Trials: Trials purify us to become holy like Jesus.

The Weapon: It's transforming. 

The Word of the Cross: Listen for the Way to Eternal Life.

Morality

Truth is absolute, not relative. It is revealed by God both in nature and in His Word. It is taught and guarded by the Church. The world disagrees because Satan disagrees. Thus, the battle is on.  Side by side, we fight the forces of evil, not only around us, but,  also, within for we bear the heritage of the fall.  Though reborn, we tend toward sin in all its myriad allurements. It is only possible to grow in holiness with the gift of grace and the support of our brothers and sisters in the Lord, guided by His Word in the heart of the Church. As we ask, seek and knock, we will find the way.

The Abortion Series:

                                    The Daughter: Abortion from the child’s viewpoint.

                                    The Griever: Jesus reacts to the abortion of the Daughter.

                                    The Outsider: The Dad reacts to the abortion of his Daughter.

                                    The Quintessential Love: His Love is like nothing else.
                                    The Regret: The Mom or the Daughter speaks.

The Agenda: The true source of the Sexual Revolution.

The Betrayal: When Shepherds don't Shepherd, what to do?

The Decision:  Moral decision making in a modern culture.

The Demonic Mantra: The Source of Moral Relativism. 
The Encouragement: Satan lures us into immoral behavior.
The Entrapment: The hidden source of Gender Dysphoria.
The Forgiver: Forgiveness in the life of a disciple.
The Haters: You must agree with them or else you'll be a "hater".

The Ingenious Deception: The Demons love it..
The Myth: No, you were not born that way.

The Objectified: Treat each other as a Subject not an Object.

The Refusal: We are called to disobey false / immoral laws.  
The Seduction: God's plan for human sexuality.
The Subjugation: Overcoming pornography.

The Truth: The Truth will set you free. 
The Virtue of Chastity: A virtue under siege.

Trinity/Mary/Scripture

The Father, revealed in the Son by the power of the Holy Spirit, speaks His Word in the Virgin Mother who, in turn, gives the Lord Jesus to us. Intimacy is at the heart of the Trinity and the bond of Mother and Son. Scripture opens their Life to us. He speaks to each of us and bids us to build up one another. He has MORE for each of us - Higher up, Further in, Deeper still so, Ask, Seek and Knock and it shall shall be yours. . 

The Passion Series:
  
The Cup: Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane

The Look: Peter’s denial 
The Centurion: The Crucifixion
The Third Day: Mary Magdalene and the Resurrection.

The Conqueror: The meaning of the Resurrection for your life.

The Father: Is our view of the Father accurate or distorted?

The Abba Journey:  Talking with Jesus about healing our relationship with Abba.

The Kiss: Jesus on the cross.

The Son: Mary speaks about her Son.

The Mother Mary: Jesus speaks about His Mother.

The Promised: The Holy Spirit and you.